US1499921A - Spark plug - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES LEO B. GOETZ, OF WEXFO'RD, PENNSYLVANIA.

sranx PLUG.

Application led October 27, 1919. Serial No. 333,532.

To all whom 5t may concern.'

Beit lmown that I,l LEO R. Gon'rz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wexford, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improvement in spark plugs for ignition of the charge in internal combustion engines. comprises a primary and secondary electrode or a terminal electrode and a brake electrode in alignment therewith, capable of adjustment towards and from the primary, whereby to provide an adjustable spark gap. The object in this respect is, as usual in similar devices, to provide an energizer inconnection with the ignition circuit, at a. point remote from the sparking terminals for energizing or increasing the size of the spark; also to prevent short circuit at the sparking contacts due to accumulation of.

carbon or other foreign matter.`

The device as a whole is entirely self-contained, composed of a minimum of parts, and is also'provided with a novel spark terminal integral member divided into a plurality of individual points in operative ,relation to the coacting electrode. Other features of the invention will be chamber ;/l

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the spark plug in central vertical section;

F1 3 1s an inner end view of the device showlng the .divided or plural terminal sparking end;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line IV-IV Aof Fig. 2; and l Fig. 5 is a partial sectional detail view of the inner end of the plug indicated bythe section line V-V of Fig. 3;

In the drawings, A indicates the' endl portion of an ordinary internal combustion engine, into the explosion chamber of which the spark plug B projects by its terminals 2.

These terminals are integral with the main body portion of the plug B which may be of iron, steel, or other suitable metal and which has an opening extending there- The device.

through, the opening at the terminal end being much less in diameter than the opening at the opposite end, whereby the end of the body B is substantially solid, but has a central opening of relatively small diameter therethrough and is slotted, as indicated,

to form the terminals 2. Terminals 2 arein operative relation to the sparking electrode 3, centrally arranged of the inner portion of terminating slightly beyond the terminal of the adjustable break electrode 4, as indicated at b. Electrode 4 extends upwardly through the upper portion of the plug and is provided with a tightening thumb screw 5 by which the current supplying terminal 6 is secured between nut -5 and an inner adjusting nut 7. The upper portion of electrode 4 is threaded, as indicated, and its outer terminal 8 is squared or flattened, 'or otherwise shaped, to admit of engagement by a suitable turning tool, as pliers, whereby to adjust the electrode, by its threaded engagement, with a tapered terminal coping or nut 9. Said nut, as shown, is of coniform shape, and tits upon the upper end of a cylindrical insulating plug 10, through which the electrode extends, as shown. The inner body port-ion of plug 10 is cylindrical, and is embraced by a nut 11 threaded into the interior of the main plug member B, the inner end of the nut bearing against an inner terminal iange 12 of plug 10, clamping it directly against the inner portion of the plug and fiXedly positioning the parts, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The inner sparking electrode 3 is centrally mounted, and extends through an insulating body or mass of mica disks 13 in laminated arrangement, tightly set within a receiving cavity in the inner middle p0rtionof the plug, under great pressure, and xedly holding the electrode 3 in position, with its terminal 14 projecting beyond the insulating mica and in operative relation to the spark plug terminal members 2, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 respectively. The inner portion of the plugbody B is preterably chamfered or beveled, as indicated edges for the mica disks which, as shown, are in upper and lower sets of varying diameter. Such construction is not, however, absolutely essential, and is incident to the general sectional area within the surrounding outer body portion of the plug.

65 the plug, as shown, and with its inner end at 15, and also at 16, providing bearing The terminals 2 are, as stated, integral with the plug member B, extending beyond lit in rounded formation, as shown, and are divided by transverse intervening slots 17, the inner edges of the terminals 2 being preferably somewhat eoncaved or otherwise sloped away from each other at `their inner portions, as indicated at 18. The shoulder formed by the upper part of the terminals serves to engage the insulating disks to retain them in position.

In operation, the adjustable electrode 4 may be 'very accurately set by its upper threaded portion, in nut 9, and iXedly held therein by the lock nut 7 which, as shown, telescopes slightly over the upper tapered portion ofthe nut, whereby to very tightly hold the electrode in adjusted position with relation to the inner terminal of the spark electrode 3.- The spark gap b operates to provide means for energizing the spark, as will be readily understood, resulting in any desired increase or diminution of the spark between theinner terminal of electrode 3 and either of the terminals 2.

The simplicity of the device greatly contributes to its operativeness and economy of manufacture, while the provision ofY the accurate adjustment of the coacting electrode and the construction of the sparking terminals greatly contribute to the eiciency and .continuous dependability of the resulting ignition.

It will be understood that the device may be changed or varied in detail construction, proportions or other features by the. skilled mechanic, but that all such changes are to be considered as within the scope of the following claim.

lVhat I claim is:

A spark plug comprising a metal body having acentral chamber therein, a plurality of integral radially disposed electrodes formed at the bottom of the metal body, and presenting shoulders at the inner end of the chamber, a central electrode in the body, al

plurality of transversely disposed micaJ disks in the chamber through which the central electrode passes and by means of which it is supported, a clamping nut having a threaded engagement with the upper end of the body,

said disks, being confined between said shoulders of the radial electrodes and the clamping nut, and a top member extending through the nut and having a flange at its lower end interposed between the nut and the mica, said top member having a central conductor therein.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature.

LEO R. GOETZ.

Images